Batch meter



s-sheets-sheet 1A S. SHAFER, JR., ET AL lBATCH METER Filed Feb. 23, 1928July 5, i932.

July 5, 1932.A

lS. SHAFER, JR.. ET AL .BATCH METER Filed Feb. 23. 1928 SASheets-Sheet 2atta/Mq- July 5, 1932.

s. sHAFER, JR.,` ET AL BATCH METER Filed Feb. 23, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3JMv Patented July 5, 1932 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICEY SAMUEL SHAFER,JR., AND CHARLES F. BALL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS TO CHAINBELT COMPANY, F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 0F WIS- CONSIN BATCHMETER Application led February 23, 1928. Serial No. 256,459.

Our invention relates to mechanism that is employed for timingindustrial operations being adapted to a wide variety of uses.

le have illustrated it as embodied in a device adapted to be used inconnection with concrete mixing machines. Such devices have come to beknown to the trade as batchmeters, and when we employ that term hereinit is intended to be used in a broad or generic sense applying to allmechanisms for timing mechanical or industrial operations to which ourinvention `is applicable.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of anapparatus embodying our invention with, for the sake of clearness, allbut. two of the pins 72 being removed.

Fig. 2 is a face View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the front plateof the casing thereof being removed and parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a detailed elevation of part of the mechanism tobe described.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the batchmeter designed tooperate as an element in means for the automatic control of the machineto which it may be applied and whose operations are to be timed thereby.

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view through the bearing piece 64. j

In the accompanying drawings, 2 designates a casing in which themechanism of the batchmeter is supported and enclosed. The front plate 3of the casing is removable, and preferably has formed in it an openingof relatively large size into which is set a transparent plate 4permitting the mechanism within to be seen without necessitating theopening of the casing. The back plate 5 is likewise removable and to itare secured the principal parts of the appara-tus. This plate is formedwith a hollow projection 6 preferably integral therewith. in which issupported a bearing for the main drive shaft 8, and with a secondprojection 43 in which is non-rotatively mounted a hollow bearingorsupporting member 64, the first-named projection preferably extendingoutwardly and the latter inwardly. The supporting member 64 has itsouter end screw threaded to receive a securing nut 166 and its inner endformed into a bearing 74 to support the hub of the radial arm 73 as willbe presently described.

TheV shaft 8 is the main power shaft of the meter apparatus and carriesat its outer end, and outside the casing 2, a driving element such as a.sprocket wheel 9, with which may engage a chain by which the batchmeteris connected with a source of power, not represented in the drawings.This source of power may be any suitable shaft of the apparatus to whichthe meter is applied that is in constant revolution whenever theapparatus or machine whose movements are being timed is operated. Theshaft 8 carries at its inner end a cylindrical part 16, either integraltherewith or secured thereto, from which projects an eccentric pin 17. i

18 indicates a. counting wheel that is loosely supported upon a bearingformed on the member 64,. and is formed with a series of peripheralteeth 19 with which the eccentric pin 17 is adapted to engage.

It will be seen from the foregoing description taken in connection withthe drawings that whenever the shaft 8 is driven the counting wheel 18of the batchmeter is turned, its revolution being relatively slow, thepin 17 being in. eifect a one-tooth driving wheel that engagessuccessively with the teeth 19 of the counting wheel. In order toprevent retrograde turning of the wheel 18 we may employ a pair ofpivoted spring actuated locking dogs 38 engaging with thefteeth 19.

27 indicates a bell that is employed to signal the completion of a timedoperation.r

Other indicating means might be employed in place of the bell, but sincethe latter is the device commonly used for giving signals uponbatchmeters for concrete mixing machines, we have chosen it as typicalof any indicating or signaling means that might be employed.

28 is a spring-operated plunger extending from the bell and into thecasing 2. When moved outwardly it serves to cause thebell to be rung. Alever 29 supported upon a shaft 70 that is suitably mounted in a bearing37 projecting from a wall of the casing, bears upon the bell-strikingplunger and serves to operate it. An adjustable stop 32 serves tomaintain the lever 29 in engagement with the bell-striking plunger whenthe latter' is in normal position, as represented in Fig. 1. A contactarm 38 is secured fast to the shaft 7() and arranged to be moved fromthe wheel 18, in a ina-nner t-hat will be presently described, and whenmoved operates the lever 29.

71 designates a circular plate mounted upon the supporting member 64adjacent to one, preferably the inner, face of the wheel 18. It may bein facial engagement with this wheel or spaced therefrom as representedin the drawings, and either integral therewith or separate therefrom,and it and the wheel turn together. Mounted in the plate 71, and adaptedto extend through the body of the wheel 18, are plungers or sliding pins72, arranged in a circular series and preferably corresponding in numberto the number of teeth 19 on the wheel 18. These pins are so mountedthat they will be maintained, in t-he positions to which they may bemoved by friction, due to springs 66 bearing on the pins, but are yetfree to be easily moved longitudinally within their seats when force isapplied to them, tending to move them in either direction. Their normalpositions are toward the rear, as represented in full lines in Fig. 1,but any one of them may be moved outwardly to occupy the positionindicated by dotted lines in the upper portion of Fig. 1, and when thisis done the pin so moved becomes an active element of the batehmeter.lVlien the pins occupy the full line, normal, positions they areinactive. When a pin is moved into the dotted line position, its outerend projects beyond the outer face of the wheel 18 and into a positionto engage with the contact arm 33 when the pin is moved by the rotationof the parts 18 and 71 in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. 2, pastsuch arm. As a pin moves past and engages with the arm 83, it causes thelever 29 to be rocked and to act upon the striker plunger 28 of thebell, thus giving a. signal.

Any one of the pins 72 may be at any time moved into operative position,and the distance, in the circle of revolution of the pin, between theposition of the pin when so moved and the position where it engages withthe arm 38, will determine the relative time elapsing between thesetting of the pin to operative position and the giving of the signal.It will thus be seen that, if at the beginning of an operation that isto be timed a pin 72 is set, the period of time elapsing between suchsetting and the giving of the signal may be determined by knowing thedistance the pin has to travel after being set and before operating thestriker plunger 287 and the speed of revolution of the wheel 18, whichis assumed to be constant.

In order to restore a pin which may have been set into active positionto its normal inactive position, immediately or very shortly after ithas passed the arm 33 and has given the signal, we have arranged arestoring cam 88 in the path of the end of the pin. As this pin, beingmoved by the wheel 18, comes into engagement with this cam it is pushedinwardly into normal position where it remains.

ille have devised the following means for setting the pins 72; 7 8indicates a radial arm formed with a split hub 7 supported upon thestationary hollow support tiet just inside the plate 71. The hub 75 issplit, permitting it to be easily slipped over its individual bearing74, on the supporting member 64, and to be adjusted about the same, sothe arm 7 8 may occupy one or another position as may be desired, asrepresented in Fig. 2. In order to secure the arm in the position towhich it may be set we employ a clamping bolt 7 6 engaging with the twoparts of the split bearing 7 5 for drawing them into clamping engagementwith the bearing 74.

The arm 73 is provided near its hub with a pair of outwardly extendingstandards 77 in which is mounted a striking lever 78 ful crumed upon abearing 79 mounted in the said standards. A spring 80 bears upon thelever 78 holding it in its normal position, indicated by full lines inFig. 1.

81 indicates a latch adapted to engage with the inner end of the lever78. This latch is pivotally supported in a plunger or sliding head 82seated in the central opening through the hollow supporting member 64,in which it is movable. A rod 83 is connected with the plunger or head82 and extends longitudinally through the supporting member 64 to theoutside of the casing where it is se` cured to an operating attachment84 of suitable construction. 85 indicates a spring preferably supportedby being coiled about the bolt 76 between the two separated parts of thehub 75. It extends thence and has bearing as at 86 against the plungeror latchcarrying head 82, which it restrains from too free movement. Italso engages at 87 near its free end with the latch 81, holding thelatter yieldingly in position to engage with the end of the strikinglever 78.

The parts just described operate as follows: suppose that it be desiredto have the timing mechanism indicate a period of time that it takes fora pin to move from the position in Fig. 2 to the position where itoperates the arm 33 to give a signal. The arm 7 8 is adjusted to thedotted line position and there set. At the beginning of the operation tobe timed by the meter the plunger head 82 is moved toward the right inFig. 1, by moving outwardy the part 84, either manually or throughautomatically operating meehanism. This movement causes the latch 81 toengage with the inner end of the lever 78 ditional tension.

moving it into the position represented by dotted lines in Fig. 1 andcompressing the spring 80. As soon as the latch passes the end or toe ofthe lever, releasingthe same, the spring 80 forces the lever to normalposition, Which it somewhat overruns, striking the head of the pin whichat the moment lies thereunder, and forcing it into the positionindicated in dotted lines where it remains. The spring 80 at oncerestores the lever to normal position, so that it does not interferewith the movements of the pins succeeding the one it has moved as theypass in succession the end of the striking lever. The pin that has beenset is now in position to engage with the arm 33, which it does at theend of the period for which the meter has been set. When it comes intoengagement with this lever the latter is moved, causing the signal to begiven, and it then passes on, to be immediately restored to its normalposition by the cam 88. `As the plunger 82 is moved, carrying the latchinto operative engagement with the lever 78, the rounded heel 89 of thelatch comes into engagement with the spring near the part 86 thereof,and put-s it under ad- The portion of the spring that is now inengagement with the latch is so much nearer the fulcrum or support ofthe spring than is its end 87, that the spring acts with much greaterforce upon the latch than it did when its outer end 87 was in engagementtherewith, and we are thus enabled, by properly proportioning andadjusting the spring, to hold the latch in proper working engagementwith the lever 78, notwithstanding it is placing the spring 80 underincreasing tension as the lever is moved. The latch will usually berestored to its normal position after the lever 78 has come to rest inits normal position. Thisis permitted by bevelling the end of the leveras indicated at 90 and causing the beveled end of the latch to engagetherewith `on its .return movement. While the spring 85 resists themovement of the'latch past the end of the lever, its resistance isslight, owing to the fact that the extreme outer end 87 of the spring isin engagement with thelatch at the moment the latter passes the end ofthe lever.

It will be seen that the batchmeter which has thus far been describedmay be set and start its timing operation at any moment-- that is tosay, the wheel 18 does not have to be in any particular position at thesetting and starting of the apparatus. Further it is possible to adjustthe time that the meter will measure from a very short period to onemeasured only by the rcapacity of the machine, for the arm 73 may beshifted to any position Within nearly'the entire circumference of thecircle that includes the pins 72.

In U. S. Patent 1,608,831 to Charles F. Ball assignor to Chain BeltCompany there is described and claimed a method of controlling the poweremployed to drive a concrete mixing machine, from or through abatchmeter, for instance, the principle of operation therein describedbeing to control an electric circuit so as to cut ofi' the source ofpower operating the mixing apparatus should attempt be made to dischargethe batch of concrete being mixed during the timing operation. Thebatchmeter herein described and illustrated is adapted to operateaccording to the principle or method of operation described in the saidBall patent and We will now set forth the meansA by which this may beaccomplished, reference being made particularly to Fig. 4; taken inconnection with the other views. In said Fig. 4, 50 designates a casingin which is mounted the mechanism through which are controlled themovements of the discharge chute 67 and also certain circuit-controllingmeans that are associated therewith. 69 indicates a shaft to which issecured a handle 68 for the manual control of the dischargechute or themechanism through which it is moved, and on the same shaft is mounted acircuit-closing part 51.

54. indicates a magneto constituting part of the ignition system of aninternal combustion engine employed to operate the apparatus beingtimed. Such magneto is connected into an electric circuit 53, of which55 indicates a ground connection for the magneto, this connection havingincorporated in it a manually operated switch. The circuit thus fardescribed may be traced as follows: from the magneto to the contact 51within the box 50, to brush 52 adapted to bear upon the contact, andover the line 53 to the. batchmeter where the circuit is grounded. Theparts of the electric circuit located within the casing 2 of thebatchmeter will now be described; 91 is a band of conducting materialbent into an incomplete circular form there being an open space betweenthe ends of the band and one of its ends being curved as indicated at92. This band is supported upon a spider 93, see Fig. 3, mounted uponthe supporting member 64 so that it may be adjusted thereon, andinsulated as at 57, so as to have no electricconducting connection withthe metallic parts of the casing or the mechanism mounted therein. Thespider 93 is formed with a series of radiating arms or spokes 94 and ahub section 95. The ends of the spokes are shaped to form flange-s 96that stand parallel to brackets 97 carried by the arms, and throughthese two parts extend the inner portions of rods 98 secured to theconducting band. The rods have secured to them collars 100 against whichbear springs 99 surrounding the rods and bearing at their inner endsupon the brackets 97. This mounting pins 7 2, which act as brushes ormovable electric-conducting elements that cooperate therewith.

The band 91 is connected with the adjustable arm 73 by means of a bar101 there being electric insulation as at 102 between these connectedparts. The conductor of the circuit 53 that leads into the casing 2 ofthe batchmeter is connected with a conductor 103 that bears upon and haselectric connection with the spider 93` this conductor being insulatedfrom the casing as at 104.

Referring nouv again to Fig. 4 it vvill be observed that the circuit 53has in it two breaks, both of Which must be closed in order to groundthe magneto 54, but WhichA when the apparatus is functioning properlywill not both be closed at the same time. One of these breaks is at thebatchmeter, being in the band 91, which is the terminal of the circuitat this point and is insulate-d as described; the other break is Withinthe box or casing and occurs when the circuit closing parts 51, 52 arein the position indicated in the drawings.

Considering the invention as applied to a concrete mixer the operationis as follows: lVhenever the discharge chute (57 is in the positionindicated in Fig. elPthat is in its non-discharging position the circuitis broken at 51, 52, and this is the condition that should be maintainedduring the mixing period, that is during the period being timed by thebatchmeter. As soon as the batchmeter has started in its cycle ofmovementsthat is to say as soon as one of the pins 72 has been movedinto the dotted line position represented in the upper portion of F ig.1 and into engagement with the band 91, this taking place when theoperating attachment 3 is moved-the electric circuit is closed at thebatchmeter. The circuit at this point is as follows: from the incomingconductor of the circuit 53, over the conductor 103 to the spider 9.3and the conducting band 91 carried thereby, to the pin 7 2 that has beenmovedinto engagement with the band and from the pin to ground throughthe metallic parts of the apparatus and the casing 2. This closedportion of the circuit maintains during the entire period timed by thebatchmeter and until the pin 72 is restored to its norma-l position bythe cam 88, which is when or immediately7 after the signal has beengiven by the bell 27. Proper operation of the apparatus requires thatthe discharge chute shall remain in nondelivery position, as representedin Fig. 1, during the entire period of operation being timed. Should,however, through inadvertence or With fraudulent intent to discharge abatch of concrete before it has been mixed for the full time, anoperator shift the handle 68 to cause the discharge chute to be moved todelivery position, the electric circuit Will be closed at 51, 52, andsince the circuit is now closed at the batchmeter the magneto will begrounded and the operation of the motor driving the apparatus Will atonce be arrested. Thus, While there is no mechanical device forpreventing the operation of the discharge chute at any time, the penaltywhich will be automatically and instantly inflicted, by the stopping ofthe entire apparatus, will make it the part of Wisdom for an operator toWait until the signal has been given before moving the lever 68 todeliver the product of the machine.

The batchmeter here illustrated is represented as being provided with acounting device 62 for registering the operations of the apparatus towhich the met-er is applied. Such device may be operated from anysuitable moving part of the apparatus, as for instance from thesignal-controlling lever 29 to which it is connected by a link 63.

The Wheel 18 is herein called a counting Wheel, since it is a device, inWheel form, by which units of time may be determined and counted; and itis described as being continuously driven or moved, by Which is to beunderstood'that it is in motion Whenever the batchmeter of Which it is apart is in use,-although at other times, it, with the other parts of theapparatus, may be at rest,-the term continuously being used todistinguish the said counting Wheel or device from parts that haveintermittent motion during the use of the apparatus.

That We claim is:

1. In a batchmeter the combination of a rotary counting device arrangedto be continuously moved, a plurality of movable means carried by thesaid counting device, any one of which may be set into position to bemoved by the counting device to operate a signal, and means occupying adetermined position and operable While the counting device is moving forlselectively setting a signal-operating means that at the momentoccupies a determined position in the path of movement of thesignal-operating means.

2. A device such as described in claim 1 wherein the means forselectively setting the signal-operating means is adjustable from oneposition to another. f

3. In a batchmeter, the combination of continuously moving countingWheel, gearing for driving it arranged in turn to be driven from apartof the apparatus to Which the batchmeter may be applied, means foroperating a signal including independent members carried by the countingWheel and arranged in a circle concentric therewith, and means operableWhile said Wheel is moving for setting the signal-operating means, saidsetting means being arranged to move Whichever of the said operatingmembers may be at the moment in position to be set by reason of therotation of the counting Wheel.

e. In a batchmeter the combination of a continuously moving countingwheel, gearing for driving it arranged in turn to be driven from a partof the apparatus to which the batchmeter may be applied, means foroperating a signal consisting of a series of independent members carriedby the counting wheel and arranged in a circle concentric therewith, andmeans operable while said wheel is moving for setting the operatingmeans to move whichever thereof may at the moment be in position to beset by reason of the rotation of the counting wheel, the said meansbeing adjustable, so the position for setting the signal-operating meansmay be changed at will.

5. In a batchmeter the combination of a continuously moving countingwheel, gearing for driving it, a series of sliding members carried bythe counting wheel arranged when set to operate a signal as they pass agiven point in their course, the said members when not set beinginactive as to signal-operating functions, and means operable while saidwheel is moving and when it is in any position for moving an individualsignal-operating member into set position, the setting means beingarranged to move Whichever of the signal-operating members may be at themoment in position to be set by reason of the rotation of the countingwheel.

6. In a batchmeter, the combination of a counting wheel, gearing fordriving it, sliding pins arranged in a circular series that isconcentric with the counting wheel and movable therewith, means formoving any one of the pins of the series into operative position, thepins moving in succession past the setting means, which sets them whenoperated as the counting wheel is turned, means for operating thepin-moving means at the beginning of an operation to be timed, meansoperated by the pin which may be set to cause a signal to be given atthe end of the period being timed, and means for restoring the set pinto normal inactive position after the signal has been given.

7 The combination stated in claim 6, wherein the pin-setting means isadjustable so as to operate at one position or another in the path ofmovement ofthe series of pins.

8. The combination stated in claim 6 wherein the pin-setting mechanismis mounted upon a support co-axial with that of the counting wheel, andis adjustable angularly about its support.

9. In a batchmeter, the combination of a counting wheel, gearing fordriving it, sliding pins arranged in a circular series that isconcentric with the counting wheel and movable therewith, means forsetting any one of the pins of the consisting of a lever adapted toengage with apin and move it longitudinally, the lever being mounted inan angularly adjustable support that is co-axial with the countingseries into operative positionv wheel, and means for moving the saidlever also co-aXially supported relative to the counting wheel, meansoperated by the pin that may be set to cause a signal to be given, andmeans for restoring the set pin to normal inactive position after thesignal has been operated.

l0. In a batchmeter, the combination of a counting wheel, gearing fordriving it, sliding pins arranged in a circular series that isconcentric with the counting wheel, a support for the pins in which theyare free to move longitudinally and independently, such support turningwith the counting wheel, the pins being arranged to normally occupyinactive positions, but any one thereof when moved from its inactiveposition being arranged to operate a signal when it comes to a certainposition in its course of travel, a lever for engaging with and movinginto set position any pin that may be opposite thereto, a support forthe lever mounted on a stationary bearing that is co-aXial with thecounting wheel and the series of pins, the lever support being angularlyadjustable, and means for moving the lever to cause it to set a pin atwill.

1l. The combination stated in claim l() in which the means for movingthe lever to cause it to set a pin consist of a spring for holding thelever in norma-1 position and which is put under tension when the leveris moved, and a sliding rod passing through the stationary bearing onwhich the lever support is mounted provided with a. pivoted latch thatengages with the lever when the rod is moved, first moving the lever tocompress the spring and then disengaging the lever to allow the spring`to act to restore the lever and engage with and move a pin.

SAMUEL SHAFER, JR. CHARLES F. BALL.

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